Perkz announces retirement from League of Legends esports

Croatian League of Legends player Luka ‘Perkz’ Perković has announced his retirement from professional play after competing for 10 years.

Perkz has achieved a range of feats throughout his career and is widely regarded as one of the best mid laners from the EMEA region.

In a post on X, Perkz said: “In six months, it’s gonna mark 10 years of me competing, and it’s also mark a new special chapter for me, as I’m gonna become a father. I’m very excited for that new chapter of my life, and obviously, this is exactly what you guys thought it was gonna be.

“I’m retiring from playing competitively. I’m retiring at 26 years old. It sounds crazy, but it’s esports. I think the reasons are very straightforward. There is just no time allocation, and all the bad things that come with the stresses of competing, I don’t want to manage anymore.”

Perkz then continued to thank all of the fans and the organisations he has represented throughout his career. He concluded: “This has been a wonderful, wonderful journey. I’m also very happy to put it behind me.”

Having competed in Europe and North America, Perkz is best known for his time representing European esports organisation G2 Esports between 2015 and 2020.

Throughout 2016 and 2017, he was a member of the roster that won the Spring and Summer EU LCS splits, cementing his place as one of the regions best players. In 2018, Perkz continued winning with victory in the LCS Regional Finals.

The victories kept coming for Perkz and G2 Esports in 2019. The team won LEC Spring, the Mid-Season Invitational, and LEC Summer before rounding off the season with a second-place finish at that year’s World Championship. While many remember Perkz as a mid laner, 2019 was a year where he competed as a bot laner, showcasing his versatility on the Rift.

The dominance of G2 Esports continued into 2020, with two more LEC Spring and Summer titles adding to Perkz’ impressive collection of accolades.

After five years of success, Perkz joined North American organisation Cloud9, winning the 2021 edition of LCS Spring. After a short period, Perkz returned to Europe for stints under the Team Vitality and Team Heretics banners.

Having struggled to find the dominance achieved at G2 Esports, Perkz left Team Heretics and the top tier of League of Legends esports in June 2024. In January 2025, he returned to competition as part of The Ruddy Sack, a British organisation competing in the NLC. After a top-six finish at the 2025 edition of NLC Winter, Perkz leaves an incredible legacy as one of the best mid laners from the region.

With Perkz becoming a father, it’s unclear what the future holds for the former player.

“As for the future plans, I’m not really sure what the future holds in store for me,” he added. “I will probably not be active for the next couple of months as I have a baby on the way.”

While he may not compete on the big stage, he has teased that he will maintain a presence within the League of Legends scene.

Perkz said: “I do intend to come back in some way or form, helping the young kids on the block that are eager, that are willing to put the time, the dedication to be the best. Until then, I’m out.”